He never fails to surprise me.
Ever since I first saw his skating,
it's been an unending chain of surprises.
Sochi Grand Prix Final
He's also crushed the free skating event!
It will be the fifth consecutive Grand Prix Final victory for Russia's legend,
Victor Nikiforov.
Nikiforov is now 27 years old.
Some speculated that he might retire this season,
but his masterful performance seems to lay such rumors to rest.
As for Katsuki Yuri, who earned a spot in the Grand Prix for the first time,
what do you think, Honda-san?
Well, he didn't perform like his usual self today.
Men's Figure Skating: Katsuki Suffers Utter Defeat
Katsuki Defeated: Still Needs to Work on Nerves
Yuri, don't look at the news.
Let's go back.
"Katsuki Fell to Last Place. Is This Season His Last?"
Yuri...
My name is Katsuki Yuri!
Top Certified Athletes
I'm one of the dime-a-dozen top figure skaters certified by the JSF.
I'm 23.
My name makes me sound strong,
but I finished last at my first Grand Prix Final.
I still can't accept what happened!
Last Place
I even moved to a training facility in Detroit
and worked hard to make it to the final.
But the pressure had me binge-eating before the match, and our family dog died...
Mentally and physically, I was at my worst!
It was supposed to be my big day, too...
Well, it's all my fault, anyway.
Hello?
Mom, were you sleeping?
Sorry.
Oh, you were watching on TV?
Huh? A public viewing?
Please! I'm so embarrassed!
I'm sorry.
I messed up.
Sorry.
The Junior Grand Prix Final gold medalist...
Yuri Plisetsky.
The "Russian Punk"
is looking at me like I'm a piece of trash...
What the hell?!
Hey.
I'm competing in the senior division next year.
We don't need two Yuris in the same bracket.
Incompetents like you should just retire already.
Moron!
Even if I left the sport,
there'd be tons of talented young skaters rising through the ranks.
Katsuki-kun!
Newscaster Morooka...
Don't give up!
It's too early for you to retire!
It's not like I've made a decision. Please don't make assumptions.
What will you do after you graduate from college?
Uh...
Will you still train in Detroit?
I'll be talking that over with Coach Celestino.
Katsuki-kun!
I'm asking how you feel about this!
I don't want to think right now.
Will you keep going?
I'm sorry, Vicchan.
Maybe just part-time?
You'll still have a chance back in Japan.
Sorry I can't go home.
Yuri.
About your free performance,
the step sequence could use more—
I won, so who cares?
Quit nagging, Victor.
Oh, the Yuri on the Russian team...
Hey, Yuri!
If I do have a chance, someday I'd like to...
You can't talk that way forever!
A commemorative photo?
Sure.
Katsuki-kun?
You don't want a photo with Victor?
Yuri!
This is humiliating.
I was an idiot for thinking I could finally meet my idol
on the same playing field...
First Skate Easy as Pirozhki!! The Grand Prix Final of Tears
Easy as Pirozhki!
The Grand Prix Final of Tears!
Hasetsu Station
March, One Year Later — Kyushu
It's been five years since my last visit to Hasetsu.
This old station even has elevated tracks now.
We're Rooting for You!!! Hasetsu Native Figure Skater Katsuki Yuri
Th-This is...
Yuri!
Why are you skulking around?
M-Minako-sensei?!
Welcome back, after five long years!
Wh-Why are you here?
Stand up straight, will you?
Oh, right...
Minako-sensei wouldn't miss any info on me coming back here.
Hey!
Isn't that Yuri?
Yeah, it's him.
I haven't heard any news about him lately. What's he been up to?
Remember he lost a big competition last year?
Was it the Nationals?
Hi, everyone who cheered me on just because I'm from Hasetsu!
I can't explain this to each of you,
but I'll go ahead and explain it in my head, okay?
October: Southern Regional Championships
The figure skating competition season generally starts in the fall,
October: Southern Regional Championships Grand Prix: United States of America Grand Prix: Canada
November: Western Japan Championships Grand Prix: China Grand Prix: France
Grand Prix: Japan Grand Prix: Russia
but I lost big in the comprehensive Grand Prix Finals early on.
Grand Prix: Russia December: Grand Prix Finals
FAIL
I couldn't shake off the failure, and lost again in the Nationals.
Japan National Figure Skating Championships!!
FAIL AGAIN!
I didn't make it to the Four Continents or the World Championships,
Competing Athletes Immediately Selected: Four Continents Championships World Championships
Not Selected...
Not Even Entered into the Universiade......
and now the season's over!
Season Ended!! Going Home!
I managed to graduate from college,
but I ended things with my coach, and my future is unclear.
I decided to come home in the meantime.
That's about it.
Let me shake your hand.
Sorry, I'm in a hurry.
You don't lose anything by shaking hands! Be polite!
Victor Nikiforov is always nice to his fans!
Thank you for your support.
Go on, smile.
Who are you again?
All right!
You're going to greet everyone in town.
Minako-sensei, what about your ballet class?
We're closed today.
I barely have any students these days, anyway.
Hasetsu's losing more and more people.
Hardly any kids are skating these days.
You should cheer things up around here, Yuri!
I-I'm sorry.
I'm tired right now...
Oh, really?
Everyone's been dying to see you.
World Figure Skating Championships Yoyogi, Tokyo
After the men's short program of the World Figure Skating Championships,
World Figure Skating Championship Yoyogi, Tokyo
Victor Nikiforov (27) in 1st After Short Program Will He Score a 5th Consecutive Win?!
Russia's Victor Nikiforov is in first place.
BAM!
After the Grand Prix Finals, he won the Nationals in Russia,
as well as the European Championships.
He's still on a roll.
The men's free program will start later today, at 7:00.
Yuri-kun isn't in the World Championships?
He didn't make the cut.
Thanks to that, he can finally come home!
I'm glad to hear that.
Hasetsu Hot Springs Yu-topia Katsuki
I'm back.
Hiroko! I brought Yuri home!
Why are we coming in the front?
Minako-senpai!
Thank you for going to get him.
Yuri, welcome home!
Thanks.
I'm sorry it's been five years...
It's all good!
I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your graduation, too.
Want a pork cutlet bowl?
Huh? Did you lose weight, Hiroko?
Nope!
Minako-senpai, you always look the same, even though you drink!
Yuri, I've been wondering ever since I saw you at the station...
What's with that gut?
Uh...
Take your clothes off!
No, no! Minako-sensei!
Nooooo!!
Wow, you look just like your mom.
Dad...
Toshio-san! It's no laughing matter!
This is not the weight a figure skater should have!
You always did gain weight easily.
But what can you do?
Yu-topia Katsuki Specialty Dish Yuri's Pork Cutlet Bowl
Eat lots of pork cutlet bowls tonight!
Uh, before that...
Oh, right.
Go say hi to Vicchan.
Sorry I couldn't see you one last time, Vicchan.
Yuri, welcome back.
Mari-neechan...
It's been a while.
Sorry to visit when things are busy.
Hey, how long are you staying in Hasetsu?
Will you help out with the hot spring?
Huh? Where's this coming from?
You went to college, even though you had to study an extra year.
What will you do now?
If you're going to keep skating, I'll support you, but...
I think... I need more time to think it over.
Hmm, okay.
Well, go soak in the hot spring and relax.
I was born and raised in Hasetsu, Kyushu,
a castle town by the sea.
The "castle" has no historical basis and is a facade with a ninja house inside.
Its sole source of tourism income was its hot spring inns, but most went under.
My family's Yu-topia Akatsuki is the last one standing.
Man, our hot spring sure hits the spot...
Do Not Change Channel
Group 2 has now finished skating,
Man, I really wanted to go.
and Emil Nekola from the Czech Republic is in first.
If only you'd been in it, Yuri.
His free program performance, befitting the season finale,
You could've told me the skaters' hotel room numbers.
was free of mistakes, earning him a personal best.
I wouldn't tell you!
The last group has just entered the arena.
You expect me to be your one-man ticket agency to score you tickets, don't you?
All eyes are on Victor Nikiforov,
That's not true! I've been supporting you!
who's going for his fifth consecutive World Championship gold.
Victor Nikiforov, Age 27 Winner of Four Consecutive World Figure Skating Championships
He will be skating last.
Well, Honda-san, this is certainly unexplored territory!
It'll really be interesting to see how far he can go.
What about soccer?
Sagan Tosu's having a match right now.
When you watch Victor...
Hey! I was watching skating first!
Sagan Tosu?
Aren't you supposed to be working?
Oh, where are you going, Yuri?
Sorry. I'm going to practice for a bit.
Take care!
Excuse me.
Our regular hours are over.
It's been a while, Yuko-san.
Yuri-kun?
Oh, come on!
Call me "Yu-chan"!
S-Sorry.
Oh, you came to skate, right?
Go ahead.
Huh? I can?
You just want to skate alone for now, right?
I'll protect you.
Thanks.
Yu-chan was my rink mate and two years my senior.
When we were little, she was really good at skating.
She was my idol,
the Madonna of Ice Castle Hasetsu.
She's still cute, too.
Ta-da!
Wow, Yuri-kun!
Stay out of my way, fatso!
Takeshi-kun, don't be mean to the new kid!
Fatso! Fatso!
Hey!
Junior World Championships, Gold Victor Nikiforov Sofia, Bulgaria
Russia's Victor Nikiforov...
He won the gold in the Junior Worlds with the highest score in history!
He's so cool!
Victor would go like this!
This says Victor has a poodle.
His poodle's super cute!
Wow, so cute!
Huh? You have a poodle now, too?
Yeah. I named him "Victor."
You really like Victor, huh?
I hope I can see you compete against Victor soon.
Um, I wanted you to see this,
so I've been practicing it since the competitions ended.
Please watch.
Last up is Victor Nikiforov from Russia.
Victor Nikiforov (Age 27) Coach: Yakov Feltsman
All right, Victor!
Get 'em!
It's clear he's Russia's hero! The cheers are deafening!
Yuri, your favorite, Victor, is about to start!
After the short program, he leads Giacometti, in second, by a huge margin.
He's not back yet.
Huh? This is...
In this program, he has four quads planned.
Here comes the first quad.
A quadruple Lutz!
Very clean!
The next quad is his signature move.
How will it go?
A quadruple flip! He lands this one, too!
Flying sit spin.
The music is "Stay Close to Me."
Given that he has a million female fans worldwide,
This program brings out a new dimension in Victor Nikiforov's performance.
he's sure free with his charms.
You're drinking too much, Minako-senpai.
A quadruple Salchow!
This would tug at the heartstrings more if it were
a younger, more naïve man.
Not a hottie like Victor, but...
Let me think...
A triple Lutz.
A triple flip!
Now, the last quad...
A quadruple toe loop, followed by a triple toe loop!
He's landed all his quads!
Now, a combination spin!
That was super cool!
A perfect copy of Victor! Awesome!
I thought you'd be depressed or something!
I was.
But I got bored of feeling depressed,
so I got to thinking...
I wanted to get my love for skating back.
I thought I could remember how it was when I copied Victor with you.
Yu-chan, I've...
We now have a men's singles consecutive five-time winner
in the World Figure Skating Championships!
The victor is Russia's Victor Nikiforov!
What do you have in mind for next season?
I've always...
Stare...
Axel, Lutz, and Loop!
Haven't they grown since you last saw them?
Y-Yeah.
Yuri, you really did get fat!
Are you really retiring?
You've never had a girlfriend?
Hey!
Really, really, really?
Sorry, my girls are such groupies!
They're all your fans, Yuri.
Welcome back!
Nishigori!
Dad!
Now you're fatter than me.
H-Hey, stop that!
Congratulations on Advancing to the Grand Prix, Skater Katsuki Yuri
You can come any time to practice.
The Nishigori family's always got your back.
Yuri, go, go!
Lose weight!
During the five years I was away,
I tried to ignore a lot of things by focusing on skating.
I wonder what I need
so I can keep skating on my own...
Victor Nikiforov (27) in 1st After Short Program Will He Score a 5th Consecutive Win?!
Here in St. Petersburg, Russia,
Special Feature: Rising Star in Russia Yuri Plisetsky (Age 15)
rising star Yuri Plisetsky
is finally gearing up in earnest to join the senior competition.
Under coach Yakov,
What's with that jump?
the 15-year-old is about to join Victor Nikiforov in
Whoa, another one?
ushering Russia into an era with two champions.
Just retire already.
The pressure's on now...
I've got to skate on the same ice as Victor again someday.
Monday, April 10 Message from Nishigori Takeshi Slide to View
Huh? Nishigori?
What?!
[Katsuki Yuri] Tried to Skate Victor's FS Program [Stay Close to Me]
I-I'm sorry, Yuri.
My kids uploaded the video, and it went viral.
How could you use my account without permission again?!
But all the skater otaku will love it.
Just delete it, okay?!
Goodnight...
What's with that video?! It's being retweeted everywhere!
Katsuki-kun, do you really have the time to do things like this?!
Yuri!
That Japanese Yuri is an idiot.
Hey, Yuri! Don't slack off!
Hasetsu TV
Kyushu faces a sudden cold wave.
It was to be a good day for viewing cherry blossoms,
but there was a massive snowfall.
Yuri, don't hole up in your room!
Help shovel snow!
Snow?
Wow, what the...
It's already April, too.
What's on the news?
Oh, yeah...
I turned it off so I wouldn't get calls.
Vicchan?
Nope!
He's much bigger than Vicchan...
Huh? Could he be...
No, it can't be.
Yuri, isn't he just like Vicchan?
He came with a really good-looking foreign guest!
He's in the hot spring right now.
Yuri!
What's wrong?
Vi—
Victor...
Why are you here?
Yuri, starting today, I'm your coach.
I'll make you win the Grand Prix Final.
Huh?
What?!
He was a genius who never failed to surprise me.
To Be Continued!!!
Hey, Victor!
We're going back to Russia!
Hasetsu's great... Come on and visit,
You can see a boob flash, too!
just once...
Uh, no, no, no, no, no!
Second Skate Two Yuris?! Drama at Yu-topia
Next time, Second Skate:
Two Yuris?! Drama at Yu-topia!